Camera



Jan. 20, 1942. G. KENDE Em. 2,270,311 I mm Original Filed Dec; 1-3, 1938 2 Sheeiis -Sheet 2 5 INVEN ORS EIVDE genes: 7 0 7, "WA 5(0)!!! t pe.

Patented Jan. 20, 1942 CAMERA GeorgejKende, New York, N. Y., and Philip J. Brownscombe, East Orange, N. .L, assignors to Universal Camera Corporation, New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of Delaware driginal application December 13, 1938, Serial No. 245,424.. Divided and this application July 10,

This invention relates tocameras More particularly, our invention relatesjto improvements in camera constructions 6f theso-called candid One of the objects of ,our invention is to pro.- videan improved camera construction of, the character described having novel .and highly improved lens mounting andlfocusing' meansrwhich shall be so designed astohave a relatively large focusing range with a relatively small. movement and which shall be soconstructed and arranged that thecam'era will at all times be in operative condition.

Other objects of this invention will inpart be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. Certain features shown and described but not claimed in this application are shown, described and claimed inour copending application, Serial No. 245,424, filed, December 13, 1 938, new Patent No. 2,233,390 of February 25, 1941. for cameras, of which the present application is a divisional application.

Theinvention accordingly, consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described,

and of which the scope of application will be indicatedin the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention, e l i Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a camera constructed in accordanceflwith our invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

' Fig. 3 is abottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is enlarged cross sectional viewtaken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. l; .and

Fig.5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring u few in. detail, the j'drawings, we have disclosed acamera, of the type shown and fullydescribed in our said copending application Serial No. 245,424 and generally comprising a front casingjpart 20, ,arear casing 'part 2| the said casing parts 2!) andj2l being interconnected -by a suitable hinge member 22 to form ahollow box-like structure designed ,to house the neces-' 1 1940, SeriaINO. 344,680

6 Claims. (01. 95-45) the shoulder 3|. Holes intwo projections 30a. of the sleeve 30 provide running fits for the inner sleeve posts 32 on which the inner sleeve 30 rides, the said inner sleeve 30 being movable into and out of the camera in an axial direction, while at the same time being held against axial rotation.

' The sleeve posts 32 are permanently fixed to a iii mask plate 33 by the rivets 34, the said plate 33 being in turn rigidly fastened to the mounting member 21 by the screws 35. The mounting member 21 is firmly fixed to the camera casing part by a screw threaded clamp ring 42 'cooperating with a threaded portion 43 of, the member 21, projecting through an opening 44 in the casing part 20. a The mask plate 33 is provided with an opening 36 in proper optical register with the light opening 28 in the mechanism supporting frame 29.

A middle sleeve 31 is provided which has a screw thread 38 cut on the inside diameter thereof meshing with the outside thread 43 of the inner sleeve 30, and a screw-thread 40 cut on its outside diameter which meshes with the thread cut in the inside diameter of the circular threaded portion 43 of the member 21.

While a satisfactory construction has been made in which ,the threads 38 and 40 of the middle sleeve I51 have the same pitch, it is understood that they may be of different pitch. Howsuch as for example flat head screws 45a (see Fig. 5). To facilitate the operation of the focusing ring 45, a knob 46 is permanently fastened thereto by any suitable means, such as the rivet 41.

It is thus seen from the above description that when the focusing ring .45 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the middle sleeve 31 will move in an axial direction out of the camera, and the sary camerapartsandthe mechanisms for, op-

erating the same. V,

In accordance with ourinventlonj the following novel lens "mounting assembly has "been provided."

Referring,fparticularly tofFigs; 4 and 5'of the drawingsfitls seen that a; le s, assembly 2s having an externally threaded shank 26 is screwed tightlyfintoan inner sleeve 3ll to rest up against inner sleeve 30 will also move in the same directionalong with the lens assembly 25 which is fixed to the inner sleeve 30. Because of the fact that the thread 40 has a double lead, and the at the same time traveled three units of distance.

When the focusing ring 45 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the lens assembly 25 will be movedin the opposite direction.

The above described mechanism is preferably designed so that if the focusing ring 45 is turned direction, the middle sleeve 31 will travel in an outward direction, with respect to the camera, a

distance of 1; inch, and the inner sleeve 30 along with the lens assembly 25 will move in the same a of adding the travel of the middle sleeve 31 with respect to the camera body to the travel of the inner sleeve 30 relative to the middle sleeve 31- Thus, by our construction, two additive movements of thread systems are accomplished by the turning of a single member.

This ratio of movement between the middle sleeve 31 and the inner sleeve 30 will always be constant irrespective of the direction of rotational movement of the focusing ring 45.

If desired the ratio between the movements of the sleeves 31 and 30 may be made less than that above described; we prefer, however, to have said ratio atleast 1 to 1 in order to obtain a beneficial effect by employing the disclosed additive thread construction.

'Coil springs 50 encircling the posts 32 and interposed between a shoulder 32a of the posts 32 and the inner sleeve 30 serve to maintain a good rubbing contact between all the threads in the above described assembly. Thus, no slack or objectionable play can develop in the threaded joints, and accuracy of focusof the lens is thereby assured. v

The'outer surface of, the focusing ring 45 may be provided with suitable markings to indicate desired focal settings, designed to cooperate with a stationary line mark on the camera casing.

It willthus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of. this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be one complete revolution in a counter-clockwise sembly mounted .thereon for m0vement'there-' with, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair of sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, said inner sleeve being slidable on-said sleeve posts, said tubular projecting portion being screw threaded on the inside andon the outside thereof, a threaded clamp ring cooperating with said outside threaded tubular portion to maintain the mounting member fixed to said casing, a middle sleeve, said middle sleeve having an inside thread meshing, with said inner sleeve outside thread, an outside thread meshing with the inside thread of said projecting tubular portion of said mounting member, said middle sleeve outside thread being cut opposite to the said middle sleeve inside thread, and resilient means to urge I said inner sleeve axially.

3. In acamera of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a mounting member within said casing and having a tubular portion thereof projecting through said opening, an inner sleeve having a lens assembly mounted thereon for movement therewith, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair of sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, said inner sleeve having apertures therein parallel to the axis of-said sleeve made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accom- D yin drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a camera of the character described, the

' combination of a casing having an opening, a

mounting member within said casing and having a tubular portion thereof projecting through said and slidably received on said sleeve posts, said tubular projecting portionbeing screw threaded on the inside and on the outside thereof, a

threaded clamp ring cooperating with said outside threaded tubular portion to maintain the mounting member fixed to said casing, a middle sleeve, said middle sleeve having an inside thread meshing with said inner sleeve outside thread, and an outside thread meshing with the inside thread of said projecting tubular portion of said mounting member, said middle sleeve outside thread being cut opposite to the said middle sleeve inside thread and having the same pitch and twice thelead thereof.

, 4. In a camera of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a mounting member within said casing and having 'a'tubular portion thereof projecting through said opening, an inner sleeve having a'lens assembly mounted thereon for movement therewith, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair of sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, said inner sleeve having apertures therein parallel to the axis of said sleeve and slidably received on said sleeve posts, said opening, an inner sleeve having a lens assembly 05 "mounted thereon for movement therewith, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair oi sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, said inner sleeve being slidtubular projecting portion being screw threaded on the inside and on the outside thereof, a threaded clamp ring cooperating with said out-- side threaded tubular portion to maintain the mounting member fixed to said casing, a middle sleeve, said middle sleeve having an inside thread meshing with said inner sleeve outside thread, an outside thread meshing with the inside thread of said projecting tubular portion of said mount-,

'ing member, said middle sleeve outside thread able on said sleeve posts, said tubular projecting portion being screw-threaded on the inside and on the outside thereof, and a threaded clamp ring cooperating withsaid outsidethreaded tubular the mounting member fixed being cut opposite to the said middle sleeve inside thread and having the same pitch and twice the lead thereof, said middle sleeve outside thread being a double lead thread cut right hand and said middle'sleeve inside thread being a quadruple lead thread cut left hand, whereby the axial movement of the middle sleeve relative sleeve, having the lens assembly attached thereto, to correspondingly axially move three times that distance relative to the mounting member, and resilient means to urge said inner sleeve axially..

5. 'In a camera of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a mounting member having a tubular portion thereof projecting through said opening, an inner sleeve having a lens assembly mounted thereon for movement therewith, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair of sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, saidinner sleeve having apertures therein parallel to the axis of said sleeve and I v L 2,270,811 to the mounting member will cause the inner slidably received on said sleeve'posts, said tubular projecting portion being screw threaded on the inside and on the outside thereof, a threaded clamp ring cooperating with said outside threaded tubular portion to maintain the mounting' member fixed to said casing, a middle sleeve, said middle sleeve having an inside thread meshing with said inner sleeve outside thread, and an outside thread meshing with the inside thread of said projecting tubular portion of said mounting member, said middle sleeve outside thread being cut opposite to thesaid middle. sleeve inside thread and having the same pitch and twice the lead thereof, said middle sleeve outside thread being a double lead thread cut right hand,

thesaid middle sleeve inside thread being a quadruple lead thread cut left hand, whereby the axial movement of the. middle sleeve relative to the mounting member will cause the inner sleeve, having the lens assembly attached thereto, to correspondingly axially move three times that distance relative to the mounting member, a focusing ringgflxed to the said middle sleeve for rotation therewith, and resilient means to urge said inner sleeve axially.

6. ma camera of the character described, the combination of a casing having an opening, a

mounting member having a tubular portion thereof projecting through said opening, an inner sleeve having a lens assembly mounted thereon for movement therewith, said sleeve being provided with an outside thread, a pair of sleeve posts fixedly supported by said mounting member, said inner sleeve having apertures therein parallel to the axis of said sleeve and slidably received on said sleeve posts, said tubular projecting portion being screw threaded on the insideand on the outside thereof, a threaded clamp ring cooperating with .saidoutside threaded tubular portion to maintain the mounting member fixed to said casing, a middle sleeve, saidmiddle sleeve having an inside thread meshing with said inner sleeve outside thread, and an.

outside thread meshing with the inside-thread of said projecting tubular portion of said mounting member, the said inside and outside threads of the middle sleeve being of the same pitch, said middle sleeve outside thread being cut opposite to the said middle sleeve inside thread and having the same pitch and 'twice'the lead thereof, said middle sleeve outside thread being a double lead thread cut right hand and said middle sleeve 1 axially move three times that distance relative to the mounting member, a focusing ring fixed GEORGE KENDE.

PHILIP J. BROWNSC I MBE.. 

